The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Sacrilege \Sac"ri*lege\, n. [F. sacril[`e]ge, L. sacrilegium,
   from sacrilegus that steals, properly, gathers or picks up,
   sacred things; sacer sacred + legere to gather, pick up. See
   Sacred, and Legend.]
   The sin or crime of violating or profaning sacred things; the
   alienating to laymen, or to common purposes, what has been
   appropriated or consecrated to religious persons or uses.
   [1913 Webster]

         And the hid treasures in her sacred tomb
         With sacrilege to dig.                   --Spenser.
   [1913 Webster]

         Families raised upon the ruins of churches, and
         enriched with the spoils of sacrilege.   --South.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

sacrilege
    n 1: blasphemous behavior; the act of depriving something of its
         sacred character; "desecration of the Holy Sabbath" [syn:
         profanation, desecration, blasphemy, sacrilege]